Single issues sell, at most, like 300,000 copies. And that is like, the top five. Most are waaaaaaaay under that level. Trades probably sell a bit better, mostly because they don't have to ship them through the one comics distributor (I think) and those actually end up in mainstream bookstores instead of some hole in the wall run by a fat guy with five hundred drawings of various women with d-cups and half shirts.

But no, I don't think tv shows or movies really rely on comic books for advertising. It's probably the other way around. It's why you see things like Spidey going back to the black suit right when Spider-Man 3 comes out, for instance.

You have to remember that the cost of actually making a book is really low compared to most media in terms of resources and time taken. The comic book publication sections of DC and Marvel don't make as much money as the movie making sections but they are profitable and can support themselves.

If comic book movies and merchandise stopped right now, then the core book publications would be able to continue just based off their own profits. And really, since the explosion of comic book movies it's not like there has been any real changes in the pattern of sales. They don't seem to make people guy and buy comics.

If they can get digital distribution off the ground, they'd probably be in much better shape, but yeah, they probably aren't going anywhere any time soon. But they're also incredibly unlikely to experience any real growth.

Single issues sell, at most, like 300,000 copies. And that is like, the top five. Most are waaaaaaaay under that level. Trades probably sell a bit better, mostly because they don't have to ship them through the one comics distributor (I think) and those actually end up in mainstream bookstores instead of some hole in the wall run by a fat guy with five hundred drawings of various women with d-cups and half shirts.

But no, I don't think tv shows or movies really rely on comic books for advertising. It's probably the other way around. It's why you see things like Spidey going back to the black suit right when Spider-Man 3 comes out, for instance.

...Just fyi, in the last couple of months, no book has sold over 100,000. And that's including all the mega event stuff.

I want Steam as the distribution model of choice for everything. Or a steam-like structure, anyway. Movies, TV Shows, comics, anime, music, whatever. Make it on-demand, make it so I always have access to whatever I add to my account, run sales like a crazy person. =

Obviously this ignores a crazy amount of actual real-world practical considerations but what the hell